The Chance Vought F4U Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear and Brewster: Goodyear-built Corsairs were designated FG and Brewster-built aircraft F3A. From the first prototype delivery to the U.S. Navy in 1940, to final delivery in 1953 to the French, 12,571 F4U Corsairs were manufactured by Vought,in 16 separate models, in the longest production run of any piston-engined fighter in U.S. history (1942–53).
The Corsair served in the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marines, Fleet Air Arm and the Royal New Zealand Air Force, as well as the French Navy Aéronavale and other, smaller, air forces until the 1960s. It quickly became the most capable carrier-based fighter-bomber of World War II. Some Japanese pilots regarded it as the most formidable American fighter of World War II,and the U.S. Navy counted an 11:1 kill ratio with the F4U Corsair. As well as being an outstanding fighter, the Corsair proved to be an excellent fighter-bomber, serving almost exclusively in the latter role throughout the Korean War and during the French colonial wars in Indochina and Algeria.

The CAF’s FG-1D “530” is one of the original airframes that launched the Confederate Air Force (now Commemorative Air Force). This airplane is not only historically significant, but it is thoroughly engrained in the CAF's heritage and has been one of the busiest aircraft in the history of the CAF’s stable. The CAF Dixie Wing at Falcon Field was selected to become the new home for the FG-1D "530" by the leadership team of the CAF in August of 2012. We are very proud to have received such an honor and are doing our best to live up to that distinction.

CAF’s FG-1D History

Our corsair was built by Goodyear hence the designation FG instead of F4U. BuNo 92468 (Stands for “Bureau Number” which is the Navy serial number of the airframe) never saw military combat but was used stateside in various roles until being stricken from active duty by the US Navy in 1956. BuNo 92468 was rescued from destruction in 1957 by Ernest Huggins. Ernest only held the corsair for one year when he transferred ownership to Skip Underwood of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Underwood relocated the plane to an airstrip in Buckeye, Arizona where he had a small crop dusting operation and it remained there in storage until sold in 1960 to CAF Hall of Fame member Marvin L. “Lefty” Gardner.